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Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Calley's Part Time Legislature Campaign On Hold After Schuette Raises Objections

By Brandon Hall(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)Lt. Governor Brian Calley's campaign to amend the Michigan Constitution to enact a part time legislature and cut legislator pay in half is on hold while the committee works to address roadblocks from Attorney General Bill Schuette.The committee was scheduled to get final approval of its language from the State Board of Canvassers Wednesday, but that has been rescheduled while Calley's team works to address last minute objections from Schuette.According to the chief legal counsel for Clean MI Government, John Pirich (one of the most respected and highest rated lawyers in Michigan) Schuette is questioning the legality of the proposal."We were just informed today that the Attorney General’s office has raised various questions, including with respect to the impact of the provision requiring the legislature to meet for no more than 90 days consecutively," Pirich said in a statement this evening.

Pirich notes no objections were raised to a previous proposal in 2014.

"Yet in 2014, a petition seeking a part time legislature, which would have required the legislature not to meet more than 60 days consecutively, was approved as to form by the Board of Canvassers," Pirich said. "The same action should occur regarding the part-time legislature proposal at issue. "

Pirich is confident the group will prevail over Schuette's objections."Regardless, we look forward to discussing the issues raised by the Attorney General’s office and answering any questions they may have," Pirich said. "We are prepared to address these issues and will request the State Board of Canvassers to reconvene and immediately approve the form of the petition as is because it satisfies all the legal requirements of the Michigan Election Law."

Michigan Conservative Coalition leader Matt Maddock believes the objections could be related to the fact that Calley's group is much more likely to succeed in getting the issue on the ballot than previous efforts.

"Something fishy going on with the Part-Time Legislature Ballot Proposal. Schuette might be trying to stop it using his position of Attorney General," Maddock said. "In 2014, essentially the same language (60 days vs 90 days) was approved by the board of canvassers with no "issues" raised by Schuette. However there's a big difference between 2014 and 2017. Funding. There is enough funding to get it done this year and there wasn't in 2014."

Maddock said things could get "ugly."

"This will get VERY ugly if Schuette tries to stop this," Maddock said.

Former RNC Committeeman Dave Agema backs the proposal. He questioned Schuette's motives in objecting to the proposal.

"OUR PTL WAS APPROVED WHEN WE TRIED IN 2014," Agema said. "I WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT A PART TIME LEGISLATURE. THE FACT THAT SCHUETTE IS QUESTIONING IT TELLS ONE HE DOES NOT REALLY SUPPORT A PTL."

Schuette's objections come just a day after his polling firm, Target Point Consulting, polled Republican voters on the issue and its relation to the Governor's race...

WMP received multiple reports of people being polled by the company yesterday.

Stay tuned!

__________________________________________________________________Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

Please. The PTL is worthy of enacting, but Hackel as governor? GMAB! Mr. Political awareness and photo ops champ of the Western World as governor? Really now, don't we have enough highly sensitive PC pollsters on the planet now without having one running for governor?

From a guy who just recently in the local paper touting the success of the Blue Economy initiative, he sure glossed over the fact that he was the guy who shut down the Macomb County Water Quality Board and discontinued real-time monitoring of local waterways.

Both of these people are professional politicians. As I understand it, a petition from the registered voters of Michigan is required to put this matter before the voters of Michigan to amend the State Constitution (but I haven't researched if it can be done by the Legislature). I don't think it is entirely up to the Legislator. That being said, this was one of my key points in my run for the 93rd District House seat,2016, in conjunction with creating a 3 year waiting period for elected officials to become lobbyist. Hopefully Mr. Calley, his wife, and Mr. Schutte will see the light and reimburse the State for the money and benefits they have accrued during their political careers which based on Mr. Calley's proposal (which I totally agree with) are ill gotten gains.

The process for amending the Michigan Constitution is a very short read and can be located within Article 12.

Section 2 deals with having it originate from Michigan Voters (LG Calley's current route).

Section 1 deals with having it originate from the Michigan Legislature.

Given that he is also president of the senate, that does give him, IMHO an easier route to place it on the ballot, to say nothing about him just walking across the street and directly meeting with members of the Michigan Legislature.

I found the fact that he isn't doing the latter a little strange given the number of members of the Michigan Legislature who have very recently spoken favorably for PTL.

Feel free to take the fact that LG Calley is taking the longer route any way you wish.